Triple Birthday!

December 1st is the birthday of three women who are very special to me.

The first is my Aunt Dot. Aunt Dot, who passed away several years ago, was one of my Nana's sisters, my Dad's aunt. My Nana came from a family of all girls, and so growing up we were lucky enough to be doted upon by Aunt Doris, Aunt HeHe (aka Aunt Mick, aka Elizabeth), and Aunt Dot. Aunt Dot was the only sister besides my Nana who lived nearby. She went to our church and we saw her and visited her frequently. Aunt Dot was always a little goofy, and when I moved to Boston she'd send me funny little notes in the mail with things she'd picked up here and there- mostly sugar packets from a local diner. She always saw the best in eveyone, and could make light of any situation, and I love her and miss her every day.

Aunt Dot on her wedding day.

The second special December 1st birthday lady is my college roommate Aimee. We met freshman year when we both got stuck (against our will) in an all-girls dorm and have been the best of friends ever since. We roomed together sophomore year, went to England together junior year, and were resident advisors and sorority sisters together senior year. We haven't lived within a few hours drive of each other since we graduated, but are on the phone frequently and back and forth on email and Facebook of course.

Aimee is one of those friends who knows my deepest and darkest secrets, who has seen me at my best AND at my worst, who has stood by me even when I was being bitchy or whiny or moody. We've been goofy together (ridiculously goofy), stupid together, drunk together, even mean and snotty together, all of those things that you are during a 15 year long friendship. Most of all though, she's always there, no matter what. I know that if I need her, I can call, and that she'd be the first person to jump in the car and drive 8 hours if I needed her in person. I'm thankful every day for our friendship.

Me, Aimee and Ashlie in London, 1998

Ali, Me, and Aimee in London, 1998

Aimee with LP, Spring 2010

The Gang, Plus Kids: Shannon, Ashlie, Megan, Me, and Aimee. April 2011

The third and final, last, but not least, birthday girl is my mother. In many ways we're a lot alike, and in many ways she's the yin to my yang. Or perhaps I'm the yin to her yang. Whichever it is, I'm glad that despite some rocky patches during my teen years (when every girl is irate with her mother for no real reason at all), we're now such good friends, besides being mother and daughter.

We love to hang out and talk about our sewing projects, the annoying habits of our husbands (who are very similar as much as they would NEVER admit to it), parenting, and cheesy television shows. She's there with good advice when I need, sometimes when I don't, and is ok if I choose to follow her advice or if I choose to smile, nod and move on with my own way of doing things. She's a doting Nana to Little Paul, and the type of person who isn't happy unless she's doing something for someone else.